Switch



Dec. 11, 1928.

E. T. BENNINGTON "SWITCH Filed July 2, 1927 ill-l.

Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

warren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL T. BENNINGTON, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHT3, OHIO; ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND CRANE & ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF WICKLIFFE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SWITCH App1ication filed July 2,

This invention relates to switches for overhead carrier systems and, more particularly, to switches for overhead monorail tracks for suspended traveling carriers.

Switches, such as above referred to, are commonly provided for permitting passage of carriers either along a main line or from the main line to a branch line and consist of a supporting frame having a switch member movable thereon which is provided with means for bridging the space between the spaced ends of fixed tracks to permit carriers to travel from the end of one fixed track to either of the two spaced tracks. The movable member of the switch is provided with means by which it may be shifted from one of its limits-of movement to the other and, ordinarily; with means by which it is latched at its limits of movement to hold the switch member against movement out of proper alignment with the fixed tracks during passage of carriers over the switch.

It has been found, however, that workmen areapt to be careless in throwing the switches with the result that the switch member occasionally is not moved fully to aligning po- 7 sition and the latch isnot properly engaged. This may result in the switch member being positioned with the latch disengaged. but sufli .ciently near to its position of proper align ment to permit a carrier to pass onto the switch. Ordinarily, in such cases, the carrierin passing onto the switch will cause the switch mei nber to move over to latching position but in some intances, due to lateral swaying of the carrier, or to other causes, carriers while passing over an unlatched switch I provide the switch with simple and effective means for preventing derailment of carriers.

The following descr1pt1on and accompanying drawings set forth in detail certain means embodying the invention, the disclosed means, however constituting bnt one of the various 1927. Serial No. 202,063.'

mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificaswitch member in a position to direct carriers along the mainline;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the switch; and

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section through the switch frame showing a carrier passing through the switch, the section shown in Fig. 6 being taken on the line indicated at 66 in Fig. 3.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is shown applied to a well-known type of a monorail switch which is provided with'a rectangular supporting frame 1 which is supported from overhead portions of a building by suspension rods 2. The frame 1 bridges a gap between fixed track ends'and, as, shown herein is provided with hangers at opposite sides supporting the end of a fixed track 3 on one side and the ends of fixed tracks 4 and 5 on the opposite side, the tracks 3 and 4 being in alignn'lent and the track 5 being spaced laterally from the track 4 and curved away from the same. The supporting frame 1 carriers a movable switch member in the form of a slide6 which is movable from a position in engagement with one end of the frame to a position in engagement; with the other end thereof. The slide 6 carries a straight track section 7 which is suspended by hangers 8 from a crossbar 9 of the slide 6, and a curved rail section 10 suspended by hangers 11 from a diagonal. cross bar 12 of the slide 6. The straight rail section 7 is so positioned on the slide 6 that it aligns with the main track rails 3 and 4: when the slide is in engagement with one end of the frame and the curved rail 10 is i so positioned on the slide that it aligns at one end with the fixed rail 3 and at the other with the fixed rail '5 when the slide is in engagement with the opposite end of the fra ne. The slide 6 provided with a cross shaft which is provided at one or both ends with a latch arm 1st which moves into and out of engagement with suitable shoulders or notches provided on the side members of the supporting frame.

A spring 16 attached tothe cross shaft 13 exerts a turning force on the shaft'tending to move the latch arm 14: to holding position so that the slide will be automatically locked in each of its latching positions. The shaft 13 has arms 17 and 18 fixed thereto and extending upwardly and downwardly herefrom and to these arms are attached cables 19 and 20 which extend over sheaves 21 and 22 at the ends of the supporting frame. By pulling either of the cables 19 or 20 the shaft 13 will be rocked in opposition to the spring 16 in a direction to move the arm 1 to releasing position and allow the slide to be shifted. The ends of the cables 19 and 20 hang from the sheaves 21 and 22 so that they are within reach of an operator on the ground orof an operator in a cab on the carrier.

The safety stop 23 is fixed to the slide 6 and is so positioned that at either limit of movement of the slide it is positioned immediately beneath the fixed track rail which is open at the switch. Whenthe rail section 7 is positioned in alignment with the fixed rails 3 and dythe blocking member 23 extends beneath the rail 5 in the path of a. carrier on the rail and when the curved track section 10 is in alignment with the fixed rails "3 and 5 the blocking member 23 is beneath the fixed rail 4m position to prevent a carrier from traveling off the end of the rail The switch, as so far described, is old and well known, the present invention consisting of a. safety attachment for a switch. which is designed to prevent derailment of carriers due to failure of the switch latching device.

Rigidly seemed to the main frame 1 adjacent the end thereof opposite that which the slide 6 engages when the rail section 7 is in alignment with the fixed rails 3 and 4, is a safety rail 2% which has its end bent at substantially right angles and attached to opposite side rails of the frame 1. The safety rail 2a extends across the frame at substantially right angles thereto and parallel with the rail section 7 at a level slightly below the bottom of the rail section 7 so that the rail section 7 movable from the-position shown in Figs. 1. 3 and 6 in which it lies directly over the safety rail to the position shown in Fig. 4 in which it isin alignment with the fixed tracks 3 and l. Ad acent the opposite end of the frame there is rigidly attached a second safety rail 25 which has upwardly bent ends rigidly attached to the frame land has a curved bottom portion which extends across the frame substantially parallel with the curved tracksection 10 the portion of the rail 25 extending across theframe being slightly below the bottom. of the rail section 10 so that the rail section 10 may move from a position over the guard rail, as shown in Fig. 4, to a position in alignment with the tracks 3 and 5, as shown. in Fig. 3. Brace bars 26 and 27 rigidly connect central portions of the safety rails 24 and 25 with the end. members of the frame 1 so that the safety rails are rigidly held againstlateral thrusts.

When the track rail 7 is in its bridging position as shown in t, there is just sulficient space b'etwecn the rail section 7 and the safety .rail 2% to permit pas ge of the carrier trucks between them. in this position of the rail! the slideb in engagement with the end of the frame opposite that to which the safety rail 24 is connected so that the only direction in which the slide 6 may move to carry the rail section 7 out of aligning position is toward the safety rail 2st. Movement of the slide in this direction immediately brings the carrier passing through the switch into engagement with the safety rail 24: so that i'novement of the slide sufiicient to prevent passageof a carrier from the rail section 7 to a fixed'rail at the side of the switch frame is positively prevented. When the curved rail section 10 isin bridging position as shown in Fig. 3, there isfjust sufficient space between the rail section 10 and the safety rail 25 to permit passage of a carrier truck between them so that movement of the slide toward the rail 25 sufficient to prevent passage of a carrier from the rail section 10 to the fixed rail 3 or the fixedra'il 5 is prevented. It will be apparent that in either operative posit-ion of the switch the slide is positively heldinaligning position by a carrier during its passagethrough the switch.

' The carrier trucks are ordinarily of a standard width and the spacing of the safety rails 24 and25 is determined by the width of the trucks. In lTi 6 there is shown a carrier truck 28 provided with supporting wheels 29 traveling upon the flanges ofthe track rail and thesetrucks are preferably provided with buffer bars 30 on opposite sides thereof each adapted to extend in close proximity to an adjacent safety rail and to engage.therewith if there is anylateral movement of the slide during thepassage of the carrier through the switch.

Having described my invention. I claim:

1. A switch for overhead (nirrier systems comprising a. supporting frame having a track section bodily movable laterally thereon to and from a positirm bridging the space between ends oft'xed traclts. and afixed safety rail substantially parallel with saidtrack section when the same is in bridging position and positioned to cooperate with a carrier passing over said section toprcvent .move inentof'the section away from brid ing position.

2. A switch for overhead, carrier systems comprising a supporting frame having a track section bodily movable laterally thereon to and from a position bridging the space between ends of fixed tracks, and a fixed safety rail substantially parallel with said track section when the same is in bridging position and on the side thereof toward which the track section moves out of bridging position said track section when in bridging position being spaced laterally from the safety rail a distance ust suiiicient to permit passage of a carrier. I

8. A switch for overhead carrier systems comprising a supporting frame adapted to be secured to spaced track ends a slide movable on the frame transversely of the tracks and having a track section thereon which aligns with the spaced track ends when the slide is at one of its limits of movement, and a fixed safety rail. substantially parallel with the track section and positioned to cooperate with a carrier on the track section to prevent move-c ment of the slide during passage of a carrier over the switch.

4:. A switch for overhead. carrier systems comprising a supporting frame adapted to be secured to spaced track ends, a slide movable on the frame transversely of the tracks and having spaced track sections thereon one of which aligns with spaced track ends when the slide is at one of its limits of movement and the other of which aligns with spaced track ends when the slide is at its opposite limit of movement, and fixed safety rails sub stantially parallel with the track sections and so positioned with respect thereto as to cooperate with a carrier traveling over the ad jacent section to prevent movement of the slide. 7

5. A switch for overhead monorail track systems, comprising a rectangular frame a slide mounted on said frame, spaced monorail track sections suspended from the slide and extending transversely of the frame, and spaced safety rails fixed to the frame and substantially parallel with said track sections.

6. A switch for overhead carrier systems comprising a supporting frame having a plurality of track sections bodily movable laterally thereon to and from different positions to selectively bridge the space between the ends of a plurality of fixed tracks, and fixed safety rails substantially parallel with a track section when the same is in bridging po sition and positioned to cooperate with a carrier passing over said section to prevent movement of the section away from bridging position.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

EARL T. BENNINGTON. 

